Music Festival Logo

I am working on a logo for a music festival.
I am trying to decide the right typeface
for this festival. It seems like egyptienne
a slab serif typeface is heading in the
right direction. The didot logo appears
to be too "high class." I need to make it
feel more youthful, without using a sans
serif typeface.

I still have some kering issues and
composition problems, but I really need
to decide on a primary Logotype.

I would like to hear your reactions on the logo,
and suggestions on the typography.

Besides being apparently youthful, what kind of music is it? And why the ban on sans? That slab you're using looks clean, but it's not exactly youthful... And that "Q" is lame; it's meant for setting multiple lines of caps (and not having them crash) so you might like to replace the tail with something more... youthful. :-) Maybe make it curl backwards into the space between the two words below. And why keep the "2010" in Didot? You could use a different font, but the Didot is clashing with the Egyptian.

BTW, that island illustration is beautiful, but the first thing that popped into my head is making the island outline look like it's emanating sound waves - you know, vibrating out. Or is that what you've already done? Because it looks more like a typical topographic map - maybe too literal for a place that's not actually an island (at least not geographically :-).

The type of music is folk, bands like Grizzly Bear, Beirut,
Fleet Foxes, John Vanderslice, Andrew Bird and Bon Iver.

I will experiment with some sans serif typefaces, Trade,
Interstae, Din, Helvetica, Etc. I had originally had a sans
serif typeface, but my professor wanted me to try some
exploration with the serifs. I mean, I could attempt to
remove the bowls and counters, or something to that
effect for a more youthful feel.

The "Q" is very lame! Ha ha, I will try to do something
with that. I am going to create some sans serif logotypes
and post them.

I had originally intended to put the sound waves into an
after effects commercial, but I will try to incorporate that
into some future renditions of the logo. Thanks for pointing
that out.

It will be very hard to use these graphics you made as a logo. Try applying it to business card, memorandum etc. in small sizes, and you will see your mistake. First example will work poorly in black and white situations for example and in small sizes. Second example has problem that first also has - too many details that will loose eventually when applied, especially, again, small sizes.
Have you tried printing them?

Again, you could use these as visuals or graphics on banners, flags, other print material in big sizes but using festival's wordmark as a logo. You are trailing yourself a good path creating identity - identity that doesn't relies only on logo but on some kind of wordmark and set of graphics, visuals, illustrations (how do you want to call them).

Thanks! I am quite concerned about the sizing restrictions.
Should I make a primary Logotype for all of the stationery?
Business cards, letterhead, envelopes, business cards, etc?
And have the combination logo used for all large print and
commercial/ website and media materials?

I think that you couldn't make two version because in start this is not really a logo. Printed it would look like a black/grey stain or smudge of colors. You have a mark that is not actually a mark, it is free floating graphics/visual and it is too large in relating to type. So you wouldn't really benefit in the end.

Second tought is to start again, from scratch making a simple logo or on other hand creating something that has same idea - set of visuals that later combines with wordmark and thus applying it to business cards, memorandums and then banner and so on.
Sorry, I cannot remember now of identities of extended visuals combined with wordmark.

Define your problem at first, and then decide what to create and which way to go. Music and festivals are great projects to work for.

I think your professor is right about serifs - all the sans you mentioned are not warm. I think you headed the right direction with your slab intuition but the one you picked is cold. Try to find something warm and personal, perhaps even retro, if you could hand letter it, all the better.

I think it's probably too modern. One nice thing about Archer is that it has small caps, which would be nice for this. But I went over to the HTF website and tried it - just felt a bit modern to me. I also tried Giza over at MyFonts.com and almost liked it - that's more the direction I was thinking of.

One thing I have learned from doing exactly what you're doing right now (asking others for their opinions) is that it can get very confusing. So I hope that doesn't happen, ultimately you need to execute YOUR vision, not mine.

All that being said, I think something a bit retro and irregular would work better.

BTW - I've done a few logos for music festivals and I ended up drawing all of them. It also helps when someone cannot easily imitate the trademark for an event.

I will continue to explore my
typographic options, I feel
the hand written one will be
hard to combine with the visuals
that I have. I am going to try
it though. How do you feel
about combing a slabserif
header (PRESQUE ISLE) and
sans serif (MUSIC FESTIVAL)
for the sub header?

Paul is right that this is too "modern" for folk music. Also these lines and visuals are also maybe too modern for folk music. Try to explore folk music, folk art maybe, try to find visuals, patterns, try to find its identity, try to find everything about Presque isle regarding the folk music. Sans or serif, it is all up too you, depends on feel and how do you want to communicate.

I see that you cut the type part of your visuals but again, this cannot go into logotype/wordmark box:

Think of ratios of all elements that you combine. Year, place, these thin lines and shapes are all too small, and you are going into decoration with all these elements. Design is not just formalism and technicality.

Other thoughts are that you could go with primary, secondary and maybe tertiary versions of logo. Adding place and date in secondary versions or in tertiary.

Thanks for your help Paul and Sandro! I really like the idea of a primary, secondary and tertiary logo. I will explain the proper use of each in my visual identity manual. I understand how the typical folk music festival could look, I am trying to put a twist on it. I am trying to avoid the cliche "folky" aesthetic. It may not be working though.

I understand how the typical folk music festival could look, I am trying to put a twist on it. I am trying to avoid the cliche “folky” aesthetic. It may not be working though.

Don't think about aesthetic and style. Think about problem and solution. Why would folk solution for folk music be cliches? You will not try to make luxurious folk music identity, correct? Good luck with everything.